Exercise 2.

Plant Cells Cell o Basic unit of life capable of metabolizing and reproducing independently from other living entities History o Robert Hooke (1665) Discovered that a cork and plant tissues are made up of small cavities separated by walls Cavities = cells from Latin term cella meaning storerooms/chambers o Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann Cell Theory All living things are made up of cells Life processes eg. metabolism take place within the cells Cells arise from pre-existing cells Cells contains the hereditary unit w/c can be passed on from generation to generation Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes o Prokaryotes before nucleus o Eukaryotes with a true nucleus Criteria Cell size Nuclear Envelope DNA Prokaryotes 1-10 um Absent Circular in nucleoid and not associated with proteins to form chromosomes Absent Eukaryotes 5-100 um and above Present Linear in nucleus

Specialized membrane bound structures or organelles

Present

Parts of the Plant Cells:

plant cell

CW

protoplast

plasma membrane

nucleus

cytoplasm

membrane-bound organelles (mitochondria, plastids, vacuole)

membrane systems (ER, Golgi bodies)

non-membrane entities (ribosomes, cytoskeletons)

Cell wall- gives rigidity and shape to the plant cell as well as protection o Made up of cellulose, pectin, cutin, waxes, hemicelluloses, lignin and suberin o Parts associated with the CW:

middle lamella cements/sticks together two adjacent plant cells - Made up of pectin or calcium pectate pits holes/depressions in cell wall wherein plasmodesmata pass through plasmodesmata channel-like structures that serve as interconnections between protoplasts of two adjacent cells

Protoplast- plant cell without the cell wall o Living part of the plant cell Plasma/cell membrane- semi-permeable, lipid bilayer structure o regulates the entry of chemicals/substances in and out of the cell Nucleus- serves as the control system of the cell containing the DNA Cytoplasm- jelly-like substance inside the cell wherein organelles and other parts lie Mitochondria- provides energy (ATP) to the cell Plastids- stores food and pigment o Membrane-bound organelles unique to plants o Classification according to color or content: Leukoplasts colorless, for storage o Amyloplasts - starch o Proteinoplast proteins o Elaioplast fats Chromoplasts pigments (yellow, red, orange); to attract pollinators Chloroplast chlorophyll (chlorenchyma parenchyma cells w/ chlorophyll) Proplasts undifferentiated plastids Large central vacuole- Surrounded by a single membrane tonoplast o contains water, salts, sugar, proteins and minerals o Takes up much of cells interior (90% vol. of mature cell) o Storage of pigments (eg. anthocyanin) and metabolic products o Also stores ergastic substances (salts of organic acids) like crystals o Forms of crystals: Raphide needle-like Druse star or flower- like Cystolith irregular or grape-like Rhombohedron diamond-like Endoplasmic reticulum for lipid synthesis and their transport o Smooth ER o Rough ER with bounded ribosomes responsible for protein synthesis

Golgi bodies packaging center of the cell Ribosomes- synthesizes proteins to be transported to neighboring cells Cytoskeletons- microfilaments and microtubules give support to plant cells

Plant Cell Types Parenchyma thin primary cell walls; usually have large vacuoles o Commonly with intercellular spaces o Carry out most of the plants metabolic functions (photosynthesis, storage, cell division) o Living at maturity (protoplast intact) Collenchyma thicker primary walls that are evenly thickened at corners o Lacks secondary walls, no lignin; in primary cell wall with pectin o Living protoplasm at maturity o Support young and elongating leaves and stems (flexible) Sclerenchyma much more rigid o With primary and secondary walls; thick secondary walls strengthen by lignin o Supporting elements of the plant o Mature cells cannot elongate o Lack protoplast at maturity dead o For support and protection of mature parts of the plant (eg. sclereids or stone cells) as well as water and food conduction (eg. vascular tissues, xylem and phloem) Lab work Plant Cell Types Fresh mount of Colocasia esculenta petiole o Parenchyma and collenchyma cells Prepared slide of Eleusine indica stem sclerenchyma cells of vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) Prepared slide of scrapings from C. nucifera endocarp o Sclerenchyma sclereid with lumen Cellular parts and processes Fresh mount A. cepa epidermal peel of bulb + 0.15 M I2KI Fresh mount C. annuum in water - carotenoid pigment in the chromoplast Fresh mount R. spathacea dorsal side of the leaf + water o Stomata and guard cells with chloroplasts Adjacent cells violet, anthocyanin in the vacuole 0.30 M I2KI (minutes) plasmolysis protoplast separates from CW; cell loses water Hydrilla verticillata leaf chloroplasts and movement of chloroplast cytoplasmic streaming (cyclosis) Ergastic Substances non-living inclusions; crystals seen in the vacuoles Prepared slides - shiny structures against darkened background o Begonia petiole rhombohedron o F. elastica cystolith o Nerium oleander druse o C. esculenta - Raphide

Starch grains Zea mays endosperm scrapings in I2KI parenchyma cells w/ stored particles that are bluish/black in color (starch grains)